The Lone Victor
by Requiess
Summary: Careers are taught to hate, but all humans are born to love. Regardless of their feelings, only one comes out on top. Cato x OC
1. It's just the Beginning

**Story Title: The Lone Victor**

**Rating: M**

**Summary: Most tributes think of Careers as the enemy. Brutal tributes with the -capacity to kill. I'm denying nothing. We have a capacity for love too, though. If somebody doesn't like it- **

**Well, **

**They can suck it.**

**Pairing: Cato x OC**

**Warnings: Extreme and disturbing themes. Language, sexual content and gore. **

**Also- the storyline will be changed indefinitely as I see appropriate. Meaning: just about everything. I will try to stay true to the Hunger Games as much as possible, though. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing besides Nora and the differences in the storyline. All other content belongs to it's respective owners. **

**I know I shouldn't be creating another story, but I can't help it. I've fallen in love with Cato's character. I love reading stories involving him and Clove, or him with an OC. That being said, when you **_**review, **_**I would love to hear any story suggestions. **

**Well, that being said- here you go. Tell me what you think!**

**R&R**

**Enjoy!**

I have yet to live through a Reaping where anybody seems stressed. I'm sure there's exceptions, but I've yet to witness one. Due to the proud circumstances of the Hunger Games, everybody in District One seems to use the occasion as some sort of social gathering. The chatter is enough to make me want to stab someone and the lack of attention given to the purpose makes me want to scream. That's the usual, anyways.

Yet on the Reaping of the 74th Hunger Games, uncertainty was apparent to those who chose to acknowledge it. Every year, a small group of those who had survived to their last year at the training school would fight for the rights to volunteer and ultimately compete in the games. Sometimes to the death, but always resulting in a volunteer. This year, only two bitches had made it to their senior year. Neither were capable of much more than a ditsy catfight, but one inevitably came out the winner.

Then got injured during training a week and a half later.

Yeah. _That_ kind of pathetic.

That was exactly the reason for the uncertainty as we stared up at the crystal stage. Not over who will have the rights to volunteer, because that's obvious. Moreso, it was because nobody's sure if she _should_ volunteer. The bitch was completely pathetic. Honestly, half of the seventeen year olds could probably beat her. Actually- no. Almost all of them could.

My eyes followed the escort as she walked over to the stage that we all stood before. She looked absolutely ridiculous and apparently tried to be styled after a rainbow. Typical bitch from the Capitol. They might have been designed brighter than the luxury items we export, yet they're all as transparent as our stage. Just the same as every year, she didn't know when to shut up. The video she showed was just as ridiculous as it was every year, and it takes her a ridiculous amount of time to get to the reason she was here.

I actually considered throwing a knife at her to shut her up, but reason that would be frowned upon. When it became my time to represent my district- in two years- I was going to become the Victor. Not the girl who could-have-would-have-should-have, but didn't, because she killed a Capitol Escort.

That would be my luck, no doubt.

The only thing that brought me out of my thoughts was a name. Diamond Evarez. It didn't really mean much to me, though, until I heard the squealing. My eyes narrowed in on the source of the sound and then went wide. It's the senior bitch. The girl who was supposed to volunteer. A proud smile was displayed on her pale face before she started her little fit of giggles.

Now, I always thought that she couldn't _possibly_ make it as far as she did. Let alone become a tribute by means of accidental injury. Then she goes and gets picked, anyways. It irritated me beyond what I could have ever anticipated. She didn't deserve it! The fact that nobody was volunteering in her place just added fuel to my rage. They were going to let her be tribute.

They were all going to let her humiliate the district. Our district. _My_ district.

I could make excuses all day, but it really was my pride that made me do it. As I watched Diamond walk giddily to the stage, I couldn't handle it. She didn't _deserve it_. In a moment of desperation, I whispered steadily, "I volunteer."

Nobody seemed the hear the words exit my mouth.

Becoming more desperate, I pushed everyone out of my way as I sprinted towards the stage. I felt hands grab at me from behind and unsure of whether or not they were Peacekeepers of just other people from District One, I pushed the hands off. "I volunteer!" I screamed at the escort.

All talking seemed to stop. _Oh yeah_, I thought, _They heard me that time._

I didn't look at anybody but the escort. I knew what I had just done was completely unheard of in my district, but I thought it was justified. I had just volunteered without being chosen to do so. The escort didn't seem to be phased, though. She just smiled her fake smile that somehow seemed to comfort me from my actions. Come to think of it, she probably didn't know what I had just done.

I pushed past Diamond, ignoring her baffled expression. She should have been thankful. She would have been slaughtered mercilessly. I would win.

I would become the victor.

Walking up on the stage, I couldn't help but to feel like something was wrong. It felt so different than I had fantasized. As I neared the escort, I turned to face the crowd for the first time. _That_ was worse than I had expected. Some people looked indifferent, unknowing of what had just happened. Then there was everybody else. Confusion, betrayal, rage… It seemed like nobody saw it as I did.

_I_ deserved it. _I_ would make them all proud. Not Diamond. _They'll see, _I thought to myself.

Despite the disapproving expressions, my eyes raked the adult crowd faces to see that of my trainer. I couldn't find it before I was pulled out of my trance by the escort. "Hello," She beamed. "What's your name, sweetheart?" She inquired with that same smile on her face.

It was all fake, all for show. I didn't care, though. There was something that made me like her. Maybe it was because I'd rather deal with a fake bitch than a woman who talked about butterflies and rainbows all day. Even if said bitch looked like she crawled up a rainbow and died, then came back to life in the most spectacular way ever.

I looked from her and back to the crowd, a smirk pulled at my lips. "Nora Beaufort." I told her, staring at the crowd. I didn't care what they were all thinking. It was my moment. There was no way in Hell that I was letting it slip through my fingers.

I didn't listen to the rest of her speech, I just smirked at the crowd. It was my moment, I had to absorb every moment of it. I watched as a senior at the training school volunteered, taking his place by my side. Alec Devici wasn't very tall, standing at about 5'10. His build made up for his height, though. Alec was built, an attribute that I had definitely appreciated a time or two during training. What bothered me was that I had no idea how good he was. He must have been good to volunteer, but I knew nothing else about him.

Never considering the fact that we might enter the games together, I had never sized him up as an opponent. A mistake that I regretted immediately in that moment.

The day went by quickly, and before I realized what had even happened I was staring at a crack on the cement wall. I didn't know how long I had been standing there, indifferent to my surroundings. It was as if I was in a prison- a prison that would lead me to my freedom. Finally, the urge to do _something_ had eaten desperately away at me until I reached up my dress and grabbed the knife that rested against my thigh.

The feeling was so natural, it always had been. As my fingers curled around the handle, my eyes focused on the thin crack. It was very thin, probably going unnoticed. Not by me, though. I exhaled deeply to gain concentration before I brought my arm back and then forward again. The knife flew easily through the air before hitting the wall. I raised a brow as it didn't fall, walking over to attempt to understand why it had stuck in the cement.

Upon further investigation, I chuckled in realization. The crack had been so thin that the blade was wedged in between it. I grabbed the handle with both hands, trying in vain to pull it out. I put my left foot against the wall, trying to use the angle to pull the knife out.

"Stupid mother-fucking cunt ass-" I began cursing at the knife, using all my strength to tug at the knife. I immediately stopped as I heard the heavy door open, quickly turning around to greet the unexpected visitor and hide the knife. I rolled my eyes at the sight. "_Oh_, it's just _you_." I looked at the woman for a moment, waiting for her to say something.

_Silence._

I shrugged my shoulders and turned around, trying to retrieve my lucky knife again. I winced as I felt her warm hand on my shoulder, suddenly wishing even more that my knife was available. "Yeah?" I grunted as I pulled on the knife again.

Then came the crying.

I squeezed my eyes shut as hard as I could manage, wishing anybody but her was in the room at the moment. I can't deal with the woman crying. It seems like it's all she ever does. "Do you know.." Her voice began shakily. I refused to face her so I resumed attempting to pull the knife out of the wall. "Do you know what they're saying?" She finished.

I scoffed at the thought, "Probably that they'll actually have a chance now," I mumbled.

It took her a few moment before she grabbed me by my shoulder so I would turn to look at her. Our faces were almost touching you. "Odis is trying to get you out of it," She told me. I looked at my mother, confused at the thought of my trainer trying to get me out of a situation that I craved to be apart of.

"What?" I asked. That was the last thing I had expected.

"You weren't supposed to volunteer." She whispered, the tears starting again. "You weren't supposed to volunteer," She repeated, sliding her hand off of me.

"I _wanted_ to." I told her, narrowing my eyes. Why couldn't she be happy for me? The games were what I had lived for, what I had trained for since I was five years old. I was going to be a Victor.

"My baby…sixteen years old…..My baby." She cried. I raised a brow at that. Since when was I a motherfucking baby? Even when I was a child, I was never her _baby. _Nobody makes their baby deal with their own temper tantrums, infidelity, and bitchy mood swings. No baby could survive dealing with her. I wasn't a _baby. _I was better than that. I was a survivor. A _Victor. _"Why? You're not ready yet." She told me.

_Thanks for the confidence, Bitch._

"I've been training for eleven years. I think I'm ready." I explained through clenched teeth, trying not to lose my temper. _If only my knife would ever come out…_

"You aren't ready to die!" She screamed at me, her cheeks crimson from the hot tears streaming down her face. "You're not ready!" She screamed again. I clenched my hands in to fists, trying not to harm her. She didn't even know what I was capable of. She knew that my trainer said I was gifted. Did she ever ask how my day went, or what I ever learned? No. Just if the trainer had received the money she sent him.

_Hate you too._

"I'm not going to die." I muttered quietly, trying to calm myself. I would probably get disqualified if I choked her giraffe neck. She just cried.

I have never been so glad to see a Peacekeeper than when one opened the door. Her time was up. _Oh no_, because her visit was _so_ comforting. It seemed that she took a bit longer than I did to realize he was there and started crying even louder. _Speaking of times that I wish I could turn the knife on myself…_

"No!" She cried. "Come back to me, NoNo!" She wept her nickname for me as she was being escorted out of the room. "I can't do it alone," She cried before the door shut. Now, I knew I probably should have felt bad for her. But all I could say was,

"Damn straight,"

I gave up on the knife and sat down in the chair again, instead. It was only a few more minutes before the door opened again. The familiar face was one of the only things that could legitimately terrify me at that moment. Odis. And he looked _pissed._

The man walked over to me so quickly that all I could do was sink back as far as I could in the chair. Before I even realized what had happened, my neck was to the side and my cheek burned like a bitch. _Good to see you too. _I turned my head to look back at him, hoping he wasn't planning on slapping me again. He was just staring down at me, the angry expression ever so present and arms across his chest. "What the _fuck_, Nora?" He seethed.

I opened my mouth, but I just couldn't come up with a suitable answer. For one of the few times in my entire life, I was left completely speechless. It took me what seemed like an hour but was probably only a few minutes to respond. "She's a fucking moron?" The answer came out as more of a question than an answer, though.

"She was the chosen volunteer." He countered.

"She was chosen. Nobody volunteered." I answered automatically. He didn't look impressed, but there wasn't anything that I could do. I wasn't sorry and he knew it. I would never be sorry.

It took him a moment to reply, and he took the time to lean against the wall. Right next to my knife. He didn't miss it, either. He just looked at it for a minute before doing the only thing I wasn't expecting- he laughed. I watched as his face slowly raised and his eyes met mine. "Fucking seventy-four, huh, Scar?" He asked me. I liked his nickname a Hell of a lot better than my mothers.

It took me a moment to reply, and I did so hopefully. "Couldn't get me out of it, huh?"

His laughing quieted and he just chuckled softly. "Eh, it's the fucking Capitol. They don't give a fuck as long as they get their show."

"I can give it to them." I told him, his eyes going wide at the idea. I took a breath before continuing. "I'm not scared, Odis. I'm going to win. Not only am I going to win, but I'm going to make them beg for mercy." He nodded and I knew that he knew I was talking about the other tributes now.

He smirked at me, playing along. "Do me a favor?" He asked.

"Anything." I owed him everything. He had taught me everything that I knew.

"Cut twos throat out." I had to laugh at that. Good old Odis, already thinking about the rivalry between the career districts. _And people wondered where I got it from._

"I promise." I pledged.

**Authors Note:**

**Longest chapter I've ever done, isn't that pathetic? I don't care. I'm actually quite proud of it. Review and tell me what you think? **

**There will probably be one more chapter before Cato arrives on the scene. Actually, as I'm typing this, I probably wont have the chance to post this for about another month. That being said, a few more chapters are sure to follow.**

…**Maybe. :P**


	2. It's a Long Journey

Seventeen minutes.

All it took was seventeen minutes on the train to realize just how full of shit Victors were when they would explain how close they were to their District partner. Seventeen mother fucking minutes. They probably just wanted to have respect for their deceased partners family. That was the only logical explanation that I could come up with for their blatant lies.

Granted, I never claimed to be a ball of sunshine. Yet as Alec Devici threw a temper tantrum as he realized who our mentors were, I just _knew _that there wasn't even the smallest chance at us getting close. Gloss and Cashmere were both known and respected throughout the district, it only seemed like common sense that they would be our mentors. Yet somehow, the ignorant man didn't see it that way.

_Of course._

I've seen some pretty fucked up situations in my life, and when I say fucked up, I mean fucked _up. _My mother bending over for some peacekeeper while my father was at work, some kid dissecting a rodent and then licking the blood afterwards- I can appreciate the sadism, but is was still fucked up- and the Capitol escort squealing about the Capitol and it's oh-so-mightiness. Yet somehow, after all of that, I still couldn't help but watch in shock as Alec pulled at his hair and stomped around in the midst of his rampage. "Stop acting like a bitch, man." I couldn't help the words, though in hindsight they probably weren't the best thing to say to an irritated career.

His head snapped up, eyes wide as he stared at me. I raised a brow, waiting for him to try to do something. _Anything. _It wasn't as if I wanted an alliance with the idiot who couldn't control himself, therefore I had absolutely nothing to lose and a hell of a lot of entertainment to gain. Finally, after a drawn out pause, his eyes narrowed. "Yeah, you can go fuck yourself, too." He spat at me.

_Because that wasn't predictable._

"Sounds like a plan," I chirped, my expression changing as a smirk tugged at the edges of my lips. I could hear him growling at me but I paid no more attention as I looked at the delicious pastry sitting on the palm of my hand. Having been trained for the games the majority of my life, I was well aware that I was supposed to pack on the pounds as much as I could without getting _too_ obese in the week before the games. I knew that, but what I didn't know was how _good _the food would be. I always had known how wealthy District One was compared to many of the outer districts, yet I had no idea of the wealth of the Capitol. Their food tasted like happiness. I couldn't help but tiredly think what kind of what kind of price they had to pay for such bliss. The thought didn't stay long, though, as I continued to gorge myself. It didn't take long for a door to slam behind me.

"Cashmere, dear," I heard the squeaking voice of the escort, who I now called Izzy for personal entertainment, call for from a distance away.

"Yeah," Cashmere grunted from her seat across from me, raising a brow. It didn't seem as if she was a huge fan of the escort either.

"Don't you think we should gather the _daaarlings _to watch the other Reapings?" She inquired, her voice making me wince and effectively drop a bit of jelly on the floor.

I frowned, looking down at the wasted perfection. "Well…damn." I muttered before walking away from the mess and to a tray of another delicacy. "I'm not cleaning that." My head raised in Cashmere's direction as I heard laughing and just smirked at her. We would definitely get along.

"I guess so, Ellanka." Cashmere called back. _Ellanka, _I thought. _Who the fuck names their child Ellanka? _Cashmere looked to me, running her fingers through her long hair, "Ready to go watch our victims?" She offered.

"Obviously." I muttered, following her out of the room.

Ellanka was sitting down on the couch, watching us walk in. "Oh, hello lovelies! Where are our men?" She asked.

I looked to Cashmere, confused. I hadn't even seen Gloss on the train. She wasn't very helpful though, just shrugging her shoulders at me before she plopped down on to the couch. Ellanka looked up at me expectantly, eyes bright with curiosity. Well, that and more than likely contacts. There was no way her eyes could naturally be as florescent as they were. "Well, the _man _is M.I.A, the _bitch _is P.M. somewhere. Probably in his room, if I had to guess." I shrugged.

"Language!" Ellanka, or _Izzy, _reprimanded me. I just looked at her, attempting to gauge if she was serious. Who the fuck did she think she was, my _mother? _My mother didn't even try to correct me. Izzy just looked back at me with those huge, bug eyes.

_She knew I was a trained killer, right? The thought didn't escape her mind… She didn't forget what she was escorting us to, or even what district she was escorting, right?_

"Fuck off." I muttered, mostly to myself, as I walked over to Cashmere. I wasn't sure if Izzy heard me or not because she didn't respond, but a small part of me hoped like Hell she did. Okay, so maybe it was a very large part.

The Reapings were pretty intense. The very first tribute was myself, as I was the female of district one. I looked so odd, so _foreign. _My dirty blonde hair swayed from side to side as the camera narrowed in on me, screaming out that I volunteered. My green eyes were wide with some emotion that I couldn't recognize as I stumbled past Diamond. It appeared that I had made quite the impression on Caesar Flickerman, as he told the audience just how scandalous I was. The fake man just laughed at his own joke as my eyes narrowed back at me on the screen. The look on my face as I waited for who was eventually named Alec to be drawn even sent shivers down my spine. I looked evil, like pure _evil._

The girl from District Two- Clove, I heard her referred to as- didn't look very imposing. I was actually fairly surprised that District Two seemed to have such a weak tribute. She couldn't have been much older than fifteen or sixteen years old. Granted, she was around my age, but I was a mistake in my district. A mistake that would grant them a Victor, but I still wasn't exactly meant to volunteer. She volunteered without much apparent surprise of her peers, which left me curious. The curiosity was gone when a deep voice sounded on the screen. "I volunteer!" He shouted, bouncing up to the stage hurriedly. Even as he was turned at an angle, I could tell he was much taller than Clove. Actually, he even towered over the escort who was wearing ridiculous heels. The escort must have asked him his name because he turned towards the screen- the crowd- and smirked. "Cato Black."

_Damn._

As soon as he turned around, I could feel the oxygen leave my body. There was absolutely no other way to describe the man other than _perfect. _He was tall, probably standing at, at least 6'2, with a muscular frame. He had short blonde hair that seemed a bit sloppy and spiked, beautiful blue eyes and that _smirk. _I had never thought that a particular facial expression could be more attractive than another. Yet, somehow, the way that mans lips twisted in a show of confidence just _completed_ him. That one expression proved everything else his body seemed to want to convey. He was Cato mother-fucking-Black and he was sex on legs.

Cashmere probably noticed whatever facial expression I was sporting because she began laughing. "Oh come on, _that's _not competition." She laughed. I narrowed my eyes, but didn't move my gaze away from the video. The rest of the Reapings were pretty boring until District Eleven came on. The girl was tiny, an easy target. I wasn't sure that I would want to kill the small girl myself, but I wasn't exactly crying over her getting picked, either. Caesar Flickerman wouldn't shut up about how _adorable_ she seemed. The man really needed to shut the fuck up. Then _Thresh _came on, and I knew that he would either be a problem or a valuable ally. After seeing the other careers, I wasn't so sure that I wanted to join any sort of alliance with them, but _Thresh… _The giant man just had an air about him that was so strong that it translated even off of the program. You could feel it, even if you were just watching it.

It was District Twelve that really caused all the hype. I didn't see the big deal, but apparently -according to Flickerman and Izzy, it was just _fabulous. _Yes, because some manly bitch leaping on to a stage to protect her scrawny sister was just _fabulous. Marvelous. _

Cashmere agreed with me that it was a total load of bullshit and over exaggerated. The three of us sat there arguing about District Twelve for about half an hour before Alec stumbled in to the room drowsily. "Will you shut the fuck _up?" _He groaned, throwing his head back.

"Will you get a fucking _grip_?" I shot back before Izzy had a chance to say anything. It didn't stop herself from commenting right afterwards, though.

"Will both of you grow up?" She shouted, her unbearably Capitol voice seeming to raise an octave. As if that was even possible. I looked over at her as she stood up, raising her arms above her head and waved them around. "We're trying to help you, both of you, and all you do is argue!" She screamed at us, her hands eventually making their way to her hips. One hand went forward, her finger pointing directly at Alec, "Where have you been? You missed the Reapings! Do you have any idea how important they are? How much they can mean for the difference between life or death-"

"Ah, give it a break, Ellanka." Cashmere groaned, probably as sick of her ramblings as I was. I hoped when I became Victor, I wouldn't have to be a mentor and Cashmere could keep her job. I could have never dealt with Izzy on a yearly basis without cutting her falsely pale throat in to little chucks.

Izzy screamed even louder than she had managed before. "No! All I am trying to do is help them and do they listen? _No. _Do they even respect what we're trying to do here?" She gasped.

"Trying to do here? What the fuck are you trying to do here?" Alec growled.

Izzy stood silent for a moment before continuing, "You _all_ need to watch your language!" She huffed before storming out of the room.

I just watched the door Izzy had walked out of, listening as she screamed about how ungrateful we were.

_Well, fuck her too._

Instead of being annoyed, as I was, Cashmere just started laughing. Granted, it was delayed, but it didn't exactly seemed forced. I looked over at her, watching as her body shook with laughter. It didn't take long for Alec to join the laughter, though his laughter seemed short and, well, fake. I jumped to my feet, though it seemed to go unnoticed by the two. "I'm going to…go." I mumbled before walking back in to the area with the food.

The night went by without any incidents that I was aware of. Of course, that wasn't saying much because I just ate my heart away and then went to sleep.

_The room was completely dark, save for a sliver of bright light shining through the bottom of the door. I narrowed my eyes at the light, hugging my knees closer to my chest. The comfortable bed that I had fallen asleep on now seemed to be about as cozy as a concrete slab. I was freezing, yet there were no blankets. That wasn't the only thing off, though. Everything was completely silent. Nothing ever was void of any sound. _

_After a few minutes of contemplation, I jumped off the bed. I shivered as, instead of the beautiful carpet that I was _sure _was there when I fell asleep, there was now a cold and odd feeling floor. I didn't pay much mind to it, though, as I made my way to the door. My hands patted down the door until they found the knob. I turned it slowly, the pushed the door open. _

_The bright light disoriented me for a moment and I blinked rapidly, trying to get the stinging sensation out of my eyes. When I finally had the capability to see my surroundings, I started to feel nauseous. I wasn't on the train anymore, I was in a dessert with the heat beaming down on me. The sand was hot against my feet, making me quickly switch up which foot I was standing on. I looked behind me hesitantly, seeing how my room could be in the middle of some dessert. It was gone. My breathing picked up and I began to feel lightheaded. _

_It's a Capitol trick, I began telling myself. It's the Capitol. Everybody knew they did things to mess with tributes heads- it had to be the Capitol. I didn't have much time to think the possibility over, though, because I was shoved to the ground from something behind me. I grumbled, twisting my body to the side to see what it was. The face of the man standing over me was familiar. Too familiar._

_Odis._

"_What the hell?" I questioned, wincing as I moved. The sand was burning my skin. _

_The man who was once so familiar to me turned his face in to a completely alien, animalistic sneer. "You promise, huh?" He grunted._

"_I promise, what?" I coughed, my chest feeling like there was a huge weight against it that made my breathing increasingly difficult._

"_You're gonna cut two's throat out, huh?" _

"_Obviously." I coughed again, my hand reaching to my chest. As soon as it reached its destination, though, I felt a foreign substance smear against my fingers._

"_You shouldn't be tribute!" Odis yelled at me before bringing his foot down and kicked my side. I gasped out in pain, rolling over on to my side. He kicked my stomach again. _

"_Stop…" I begged. It was so odd, like all my will was gone. It was like I couldn't defend myself, like everything I had ever been taught was gone in an instant. I was completely at his mercy. I raised my hand to my face, but was shocked to see a red substance on my fingers. It took a moment to click. The substance was blood. My blood…from my chest. _

_Not good. _

_Odis leaned down and grabbed my hair, yanking my head until it was near his. "You're nothin' but a whore, Nora. A lying whore. You won't last past the blood bath, that I promise you, Nora." His hand untangled from my hair, letting my head fall back on to the hot ground. His laugh was booming as I whimpered, trying to come up with some sort of comeback. I couldn't do it, though. All I could do was cry- cry for him to take it back. Cry for him to believe that I was worth it. That I could do it. _

"_Nora, Nora, Nora," Odis called, his hand against his forehead. He was mocking me. "Oh, Nora." He laughed. I just laid there, crying. "Nora, wake up." He laughed._

I gasped, sitting up in the bed. Izzy was at the edge of the bed, looking fairly confused. I let out a long sigh, my head resting against the wall. Izzy pushed her lips together before rubbing my arm gently. I didn't have the emotional strength to tell her to stop. "You were screaming…" She murmured. She paused for a moment before continuing, "Do you want to talking about it, _daaarling_?" Izzy actually seemed sincere, but I couldn't accept the offer. I wasn't weak, it was just a dream. I could take Odis if it was real, but it wasn't real. Odis would never hurt me. I would never let him down. And I would _never_ be called a whore.

"No, it's…what time is it?" I asked Izzy quietly.

"It's time to get ready, darling. We're almost at the Capitol." I nodded and, with some persistence, I was able to talk her in to leaving me to get dressed by myself.

As much as the dream may have freaked me out, it also put things in perspective. Everything I was unsure of, even if I wasn't acknowledging that I was unsure about it, until that point became clear. I wasn't going to be in the Career alliance. Even if they wanted me to, I wouldn't. I wasn't there to drool over district two, so I had to get over his physical perfection. I wouldn't forget why I was there.

Oh, and yes- I was going to cut two's mother fucking throats out.

**Authors Note:**

**Alright, so I just wanted to make something clear. **

**Obviously there's a few characters who will be OOC in this. **

**Oh well. **

**The second thing I wanted to clear up was even more obvious, in my opinion, but still important to me. Nora isn't going to be a soft girl all of a sudden, though it will tone down. She isn't perfect, she has a major attitude problem. **

**Oh, yeah- no romance featured will be anywhere near a fairytale relationship. Just so you know. **

**Review?**


	3. The Strangest Boy

None of the numerous jokes that Gloss and Cashmere had came up with as we entered the Capitol had prepared me for the reality of the situation.

Exotic.

Ridiculous.

Faux.

_Luxurious._

The people in the Capitol made Izzy appear to be almost normal. **Almost.**

As our train slowed, the neon crowds gathered on the sides of the streets. They giggled and pointed- the adults talking, children playing with fake swords and knifes. Alec was still in his room, but I took the opportunity to wave-albeit boredly- at the crowds. They seemed to enjoy it, so I deemed that it couldn't be too bad. Cashmere was sitting out of sight of the window, laughing her ass off at the situation. Using my left arm, I held it to my right and stuck my middle finger up in Cashmere's general direction as I waved my right.

The Remake Center made me do the impossible. I admitted to myself that I would rather be back with Izzy than being tortured by the Capitol barbies. It wasn't so bad at first, as they scrubbed my body clean. It was somewhat insulting, admittedly. I was from District One, not a homely outlying district. I showered regularly, so being _washed _was a bit humiliating.

But I could have dealt with it.

They brushed through my dirty blonde hair roughly, periodically spraying some substance that smelled like strong rust in my hair. The more they sprayed in my hair, the less force they seemed to be using with the brush. It almost seemed like the detangler I had used when I was a little girl, but it bubbled up as it reached my hair.

Everything was done in silence my hair was done. A few minutes after my hair was finished, I heard a loud beep and a door slide open. Looking to the door on instinct, I tilted my head in confusion. The woman who had just walked in looked nothing like the others. She didn't look normal, either, but just…_different. _She was tall and thin, her skin paler than mine. She had high, defined cheekbones that had metal studs pierced through the flesh. Her eyes were like cats, her pupils an odd an almost tear-shaped pattern. Lining her eyes were thick, feather-like eyelashes of a bright pink tone. She walked over to the man who had done my hair and whispered something that I couldn't quite understand. The two seemed to have a silent conversation for a moment before she turned to me and he left the room. I raised a brow at her, waiting for her to say something.

She was silent as she walked over to me, the clicking of her heels against the cement floor the only sound to be heard. Her arms crossed as she stood in front of me, her eyes trailing down her body. Not many people managed to intimidate me, but she seemed like she could strike my temple with her ridiculous stilettos at any moment and effectively kill me. I shifted, feeling a bit uncomfortable under her gaze. Her hand finally reached out, pulling at my Capitol-issued hospital-like gown. "Off." She demanded, her Capitol accent making such a simple word seem foreign.

"Excuse me?" I asked, jerking away from her.

She sighed, much more loudly than necessary. I narrowed my eyes- I really wasn't in the mood for Capitol-bitchy-Barbie theatrics. "I'm Jada. You're designer. Remove the clothing, I need to see you." Remembering Izzy's suggestion(more like demand) that I do whatever my designer suggests if I wish to get sponsors, I slowly fumbled with the strings until I untied the dress and watched as it fell to the floor. Though there wasn't even the slightest breeze, I shivered as I sat naked before Jada.

Her noise crinkled in disgust as she twirled her finger in my hair, raising it and then untwirling it. She tilted her head for a moment before clicking her tongue. "Unwaxed…" She stated plainly. I raised a brow, not appreciating her tone. She grabbed my wrist, lifting my arm without any assistant on my behalf. She raised it above my head before dropping it, my arm falling like a dead weight. "Raw, but decent. I've had worse, I suppose. A bit on the short side…." She was talking so quietly, I doubted she even knew I could hear her.

"Or so I've heard." I muttered, teeth chattering. As she turned away from me, I crossed my arms to cover my chest.

"Jionni gave me the measurements, so now…It's just…luxury." She turned to me, a sharp grin on her features. She looked a lot better looking like a bitch- her smile was all gums.

"Which means…?"

"Oh _daaaarling," _She purred.

_Not again…_

"How do you feel about sapphires?" She asked.

"Sapphires?" I asked, confused as to where she was heading.

"Sapphires." She confirmed with a nod. "But first, you need to get waxed." And with that, she left me confused and naked in the cement Capitol room.

Jada was a very odd character, but she _did _know what she was doing. My costume was nothing like I had ever seen before. I wore a gown that hugged every inch of my body, moderate padding on specific areas making my curves look more desirable according to Capitol standards. My waist looked tiny and it was hard to breathe, but I managed. The fabric was a dark purple that wrapped around me like a bandage, the shade getting lighter the further down it was. The back scooped down, connected only by thin chains of gold that were laced with large and heart-shaped sapphires. My hair was up in a bun, sapphires throughout. Black and white feathers were pressed against my back, arching out to look similar to wings.

I looked like luxury.

Dark, deep, luxurious… Pretty.

As I stepped out of the room, I found Cashmere waiting for me. She looked up from the ground as she saw me approaching her and smirked. "Decent. Now lets go." She said, jumping to her feet.

"Thanks." I said sarcastically, following my mentor down the hall.

"Right, so you're in the first set of horses with Alec." She began to explain, capturing my attention completely.

"Forget everything you prepared for. There's a bunch of crazy ass people who'll be acting like fucking morons. You'll probably freeze up. Remember not to look shocked, no matter how much you might just want to hide. Look confident, not cocky. All that shit." Cashmere nodded in front of us. I tore my gaze from Cashmere's face and to where she was looking. We were now in a large room full of tributes, horses, and mentors. "The white horses are yours. Remember, confident." Cashmere huffed before turning around and walking in the direction we had come from.

"Thanks for all your help!" I called over my shoulder sarcastically without hearing a response. With a huff, I continued to the other end of the room. All of the tributes looked so different, even district partners didn't look the same. By the time I reached District Two's carriages, I let myself have an extra peek at my fellow careers.

The girl, Clove or Clover- something like that, looked absolutely ridiculous as she stared at her reflection, seemingly trying out different intimidating faces. It made me wonder if she was really, legitimately, the hard-ass she was trying to pull off or if she was seriously over-compensating. Next to her was…My mouth suddenly got became _extremely_ wet. Looking like a god(even more so than during the Reaping), Cato Black was hands down the sexiest man I had ever seen in my life. He was taller than I remembered him seeming, and his muscles were even bigger. His costume looked to be that of some sort of soldier of ancient times. Everything was gold and silver, making him look like the competitor that he undoubtedly was. I don't know how long I just stood there, staring at him, before he eventually moved his head in my direction and my glance shifted as fast as it possibly could. Not wanting to get caught drooling over Two, I quickly shuffled to the first set of horses. Just as Cashmere had said, they were white. As I rounded the horses to the carriage, I groaned at what I saw. Alec was already there.

As I came to the back and was able to see his apparel, though, I started laughing. The asshole looked absolutely ridiculous. He was wearing light purple, skin-tight tights. He had no shirt on, but his whole upper-body was clad with light purple Capitol body paint. His chest was impressive, admittedly, or at least _would _have been if precious gems weren't glued to his skin in intricate patterns. Black and white feathers were intertwined to create a collar against his neck. On his forehead, a tear-drop shaped sapphire was in the center while two small diamonds were pressed on either side. Apparently our designers weren't just going for luxury in general, but the luxurious gemstones that we exported more specifically.

Nevertheless, he looked ridiculous, and the more I laughed- the more pissed off he looked. That just made it even better. I climbed on to the stricture, looking down as I laughed. It was a good thing the jackass was never making it home, I figured, or else the costume might have really hurt his ego.

_A dead man's ego isn't important._

"Lookin' good." I choked out, my body shaking.

"Fuck you, bitch." The one thing I would need to give Alec credit for was his quick tongue. The downside was that he had an almost non-existent ability to be creative. All of his comebacks, for the most part, seemed to be identical.

Ignoring his insult, I just smirked to myself and looked forward. I felt the air constrict as our horses began to move forward and in sync. I held my breathe, not sure what to expect. Cashmere said not to expect what I had always prepared and hoped for…To…My breathe caught in my throat.

_What had she said?_

I began panicking, the smirk slowly dropping from my features. I squeezed the rail, trying to remember what she said. I was shocked by the sudden screaming, and I looked up to find the source. Thousands…possibly hundreds of thousands of people from the Capitol were on our sides, screaming to get our attention and throwing shit towards us.

Flowers, petals, hats…

Then, all of a sudden, the screaming got louder. I looked back, confused, and wondering if something had happened. All I saw was a bunch of stupid looking costumes and a God-like tribute. It wasn't until I looked straight that I saw it on a screen.

I saw _them _on the screen.

The feminine boy and the brutish, lesbian-appearing bitch from Twelve.

**On fire. **

Stealing the attention away from me, stealing the attention away from my _district. _I felt my eyes narrow at the screen, watching as they lifted their hands up together. The cheers got louder and my stomach began to feel weighed down, as if there was platinum chains making it heavier. I never took my eyes off of the screen, not even after the image went away and President snow began to speak. All of his words seemed to mush in my ears, and my mind went blank until I heard the painfully familiar words.

"And may the odds be _ever _in your favor."

* * *

Everything after I saw the girl on fire was a blur. The ride to the training center, the showing of our apartment, and the gushing of Cinna's brilliance by Izzy. After hearing that even our escort was rooting for the bitch that stole my districts glory- or even her fashion, it was still equally as disgusting- I knew that I had to get out of the apartment before the Capitol bitch met my favorite shiny knife. Against said Capitol bitch's pleads, I stormed to the elevator.

I've never been horrible with technology, but the complexity of the Capitol's symbols and sensors gave me doubts. I studied each complex symbol, each number, until I pressed the one that was presented directly above number twelve's 'penthouse'. The mere thought of the dirty rats getting the penthouse was infuriating enough to get my blood boiling again. I heard a loud beeping noise and felt the elevator move quickly until the doors opened. It was dark outside, though I supposed it was obviously to be expected. I started slowly, wondering if the Capitol was real. They so easily made the arenas so diverse, did they somehow control their climate as well? If the technology existed, they would definitely have it.

I walked straight, stopped by a railing. As I looked over it, I saw a bright lights and people walking carelessly through the streets. I leaned over, resting my head in the palm of my hand. It was so peaceful to see people so oblivious to their surroundings, it reminded me of home. It wasn't as if I missed the place that I grew up, but something about it…it seemed to snuff my anger quicker than anything else at that point.

I was so out of it, that I jumped back when a deep voice came from behind me.

"You realize that if you jump, you'll be bounced back?" The voice chuckled, and that was when I resolved not to look and see who it was. At that point, I didn't care. I just didn't want to know.

"Huh, then I better not jump then, right?" I asked the voice. I kept my eyes down, narrowed at the bright lights below. I stiffened as I felt heat radiating front my right- the guy was standing next to me.

"I wouldn't suggest it." He paused. "Eh, what the hell? It might actually be entertaining."

I chuckled, "Right." I said quickly. "Because I'm _right _on it."

We were both quiet for a minute. "Listen, one." He began. The words seemed odd, so I looked over to look at him while he was talking to me. My eyes bugged out when I saw who it was. _Cato._

"Yeah?" I managed.

"You're district partner, I need to talk to him-"

That brought me back to reality, and I began to laugh as images of Alec in tights began to floor my mind. "Right." I laughed. "Listen, I'm not the bitch's fucking publicist, so…" I shook my head. "So why don't you talk to him yourself?"

He went silent again before grabbing my arm, twisting me to face him. I tried to get out of his hold but he was way too strong for me. My other arm moved to my back to find my knife, only to come up empty handed. _I didn't grab it after I changed out of my costume. _"Let me," I tugged on my arm, "Fu-cking," I tugged again. "_Goooo."_

"Don't fucking talk to me like that. Now, I have a question to ask him at training. You make sure he considerers it, yeah?" He asked me slowly, as if I was a small child or a complete fucking moron.

"Go to hell!" I spat, trying to get my arm out of his strong hold.

He pushed my back against railing, "I suggest you do it, one, or you'll be the first to go in the arena." He warned, looking me in the eye as I stood silently. With a small shove, he released my arm and stalked back to the elevator doors. I rubbed my wrist, staring after him as he walked away from me.

_What the hell was two's problem?_


End file.
